Prayer for Today

Posted on June 30, 2015 by espirational1

June 30, 2015

Father, at the beginning of the year, we made plans, set time lines and set goals for what we wanted to achieve this year. As we look at our plans we see some plans are behind the schedule we had set or some things we wanted to do have not been done at all. These realizations can cause us to feel like failures or to feel like we’ve not obtained everything we’ve been pursuing and, if we’re not careful; these feelings will cause us to give up. Remind us that our plans must take a backseat to the plans You have for us. Nothing we’ve planned is better than what You have already ordained.

Everything is not going to go the way we’ve planned, but we’re sure that everything will go the way You’ve ordained. Help us mature to a point that, when what You’ve ordained overrides our plans; we do not fret, complain or grumble. Instead, we rejoice knowing that You have our best interest at heart.

You planned our perfect path long ago and You know what’s best for us. You will perfect us until we fit into Your perfect plan. Thank You Lord for caring so much about us that You planned for our greatness. Therefore; we press towards the higher calling, which is in Christ Jesus!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Scripture References:

Proverbs 19:21

Psalms 65:9

Isaiah 25:1

Philippians 3:14

Being Destroyed from the Inside Out

Posted on June 29, 2015 by espirational1

I Corinthians 3:16 – 17

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”

I HATE, HATE, HATE Japanese Beetles!!! Can I say it again, I HATE JAPANESE BEETLES!!! They destroy everything in their path but they love roses. NASTY LITTLE CRITTERS!!! Okay, I feel better.

Japanese beetles grow underground where you can’t see them and hatch in late spring, early summer when my roses start to bud and bloom. They fly, crawl and have a hard shell which makes them difficult to kill. They get inside the rose buds or underneath the rose leaves and eat my roses from the inside out. I can check my roses in the morning and they will look fine but, when I go out to look at them later the same day they have holes straight through the heart of them.

When I first moved to Maryland and started caring for my roses I didn’t know what Japanese beetles were because I didn’t have to deal with them in California or Texas. I was talking to a friend one day and telling him about this bug that was eating my roses and nothing I used got rid of them. He identified the pest and told me to get some Sevin and that would do the trick. That afternoon I went to a nursery and picked some up. My friend was correct. As soon as I started spraying my roses with Sevin the beetles began to fly away and die.

Now that I’ve lived in Maryland for over 20 years I know how to deal with the beetles. As soon as the humidity starts, I begin two-a-day spraying; once in the morning and again in the evening. The humidity seems to be the trigger for the beetles to come out and destroy.

We have things that are eating us from the inside out. Things like hate, envy, jealousy, pride, low self-esteem and feeling less than are just a few things that eat at our spirit persons. There is also the spirit of control, you have to control everything and everyone or everything is wrong. Then there’s a competitive spirit, you have to win and be first in everything even when no one else knows there’s a completion underway. The list of things eating us from the inside out goes on and on but there are three solutions; The Word of God, prayer and professional help.

We need to identify the triggers that cause our internal bugs to start their eating frenzy within us. We need to pay attention to our feeling and emotions when this happens, also called self-awareness and we need to spray our internal bugs with the God’s word and prayer. If necessary, we need to seek professional help to deal with our internal bugs. It’s okay! The goal is to kill that which is destroying you from the inside out.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other; so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:16 – 17

They’re Baaack!!!

Posted on June 22, 2015 by espirational1

Romans 6:6 – 7

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”

It’s easy for me to get discouraged when I’m doing something new and old problems, issues and even some old people seem to pop up in the midst of my new stuff. It’s just like weeds popping up in my yard in the same places that I’ve evicted them no too long ago. The truth is I evicted them but I couldn’t eradicate them.

I worked hard to get rid of the weeds and grass from my new rose bed. I dug, pulled and trenched around the new bed so I could remove the unwanted stuff and keep it out. Unfortunately, after a heavy rain, the weeds are back and the grass is trying to return to where it used to live.

I looked out the window of my home office and saw weeds and grass growing and all I could think was, “they’re baaack!!!”

I was feeling sad, frustrated, let down and discouraged. All my heard work down the drain, then, I resigned myself to the truth; this is going to be an ongoing battle, not a one time effort. So, I went out, grabbed my garden tools and headed to the yard. This means war!!!

The same scenario is true when we start obeying God and begin to live our lives according to His will. We dig up doubt, fear, concerns about money, unforgiveness, past pains and disappointments. We dig up the pain of hurt feelings, envy and jealousy, guilt and shame. We pull them out, remove and evict them from the soil of our hearts with fasting, prayer, reading and studying God’s Word. We think we’re good, and then one day something or someone sends rain on our lives. Before we know it, we are battling the same weeds we removed from our lives because we evicted them but did not eradicate them.

We must resign ourselves to this truth: This is a never-ending battle! We will continue to contend with fear, doubt, guilt, shame, etc. as long as we live in these bodies. The good news is we have already won the war through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

So grab your spiritual gardening tools; your Bible, your favorite Christian authors’ books and Bible studies. Turn down your plate or, turn off the television or your computer and get to work clearing out those weeds. This means war!!!

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Worry, Waste, Want

Posted on June 18, 2015 by espirational1

Matthew 6:25

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?”

After a farmer or a gardener plants their crops they have to wait to see what, if anything is going to grow or bloom. I planted six new roses in the backyard. They all came from the same reparable rose seller that I’ve used for years. I have several roses from this same place that are over 15 years old so I know the roses are of good quality.

I planted them at the same time, in the same area and at the right time of the season but, only two out of the six am showing signs of life. I don’t know what could have gone wrong! What if the four die? I will have wasted my time, great effort and energy plus the money I paid for them. Plus, I’ll want four more roses to replace them. I am worry about the possible loss of the four roses.

Yesterday, I was on my way back to look at the four roses again to see if there was ANY sign of life when a thought struck me; with all my worrying I couldn’t make the roses live! I could worry and fret over the four dead looking roses but I don’t have the power to make them live; only God has the power of life and death. So, why am I worrying and wasting my time and emotions on something I had no control over? Because I wanted the roses to live!

My want for something I had no control over drove me into worry and waste while I tried to figure out how I could get what I want. Have you ever been there?

Maybe you’re there right now. Maybe you want something so bad that you have forgotten who is the Source and Giver of all things. Maybe you are so concerned about finances, a wayward child, or the loss of a job or the closing of a family business. It doesn’t matter what you’re worried about; this is just a reminder to never forget God, who has controls everything and everyone. It is easy for lose focus on the Giver when you are only looking at the gift.

Patience combats worry. God knows what we need even before we need it and puts everything in order to meet us at our point of need. We must stay focused on Him and be patient, not worry or fret ourselves over things that we want but may not need and not waste our time trying to get things God hasn’t ordained for us.

With patience there is no worry. With trust there is no waste. With obedience there is no want. Therefore; combat worry, waste and want by patiently trusting God while you obey His commands for your life.

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:7 – 8

No Longer Needed

Posted on June 16, 2015 by espirational1

Isaiah 43:18 – 19

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Three more days of digging in my backyard! My back, legs and arms are all sore and I’m not done yet! The weeds are out, for now, and the roses are in place but, I have to battle the grass that I have removed and displaced.

When I decided to put the roses in the back yard not only did I have to remove the weeds, but I had to remove the grass that had been growing there for years. Unlike the weeds, the grass had been needed and wanted in that area of the backyard but now, its services are no longer needed. The grasses usefulness has run its course and it’s time for it to go.

The grass, unlike the weeds, was not a bad thing; it’s just no longer useful in the area where I planted my roses. Grass is useful in other places, just not with my roses.

This is how it is with our lives. There comes a time when things and people who were needed in our lives are no longer needed AND, sometimes, we are no longer needed in someone else’s life.

When God starts doing new things in our lives, He replaces the old stuff with new things and sometimes, He replaces old people with new people who can help us get where God is taking us or can help us mature so we can move forward to the next place God has for us. The old stuff can only keep us where we are, it cannot help us grow into the people God has for us to become.

Some people take an exception to the concept of letting go of things and people that/who are no longer useful fixtures in our lives. But, let me put it this way, if you have a friend who is still doing all the things you are trying to get away from or trying to leave behind as you press to be more like Christ, can you still hang out with them AND achieve your goal? If you have someone in your life who is happy and content with just enough to get by but you want God’s promise of abundance, can you still hold on to them AND receive your abundance?

To move out of the old and into the new takes work! To leave behind that which we have grown accustom to in order to become something more than we are today takes diligence, dedication and determination. Can we take the old with us as we change and progress in our lives and walk with Christ? The Bible states, “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:21 – 22.

What do you say?

Weeds or Roses

Posted on June 11, 2015 by espirational1

Matthew 13:24 – 28

‘“Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.”’
For the last few days I have been working in my backyard. This year I decided to plant roses in the back portion of my yard which meant I had to removed grass and weeds from the place where I wanted to roses to go.

I hate weeds and they are always around! I had to use a small pitchfork and hoe in order to loosen the weeds so I could pull them out by hand because I needed to remove the roots of the weeds. It has taken me two hours a day for three days, to area clear the grass and weeds and, I’m not done yet.

A big problem with converting an area this has been allowed to grow weeds unchecked is the roots of the weeds have a head start over my roses. The roots of the weeds are mature and well established while the roots of my roses are new and immature. If I allow the roots of the weeds to remain in place they will overtake my roses and choke them out.

We have weeds that have been planted in our hearts and minds. Our weeds have been planted by the words of others. Then, without our consent, the weeds in our hearts and minds talk to us when we true to do something new. Our weeds say things like; “You’re not good enough.” “You will never make it, you just aren’t that smart.” You’re ugly/fat/too tall/too short, etc.” “You can’t do anything right.” “They will never accept you.”

On and on the weeds our enemies have planted in us lie to us. YES! They lie to us in an effort to choke out God’s purpose for our lives. In John 10:10 Jesus says, ‘“The thief comes ONLY to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”’ The enemies job was to kill our lives; destroy our dreams, chock out our hope and dash our desires for greater against the rocks of their lies. Our job is to plant and cultivate God’s word in our hearts and minds, which will uproot and destroy the weeds of the enemy.

It is time to take back our land that has been overrun by weeds. It’s time to uproot the lies we have been told down through the years and replace them with the truth of God. Then and only then, will we blossom, even in the wilderness.

Isaiah 35:1-2a

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing…”
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Stop, Drop and Roll

Posted on June 9, 2015 by espirational1

June 9, 2015

Matthew 6:31 – 32

”’So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”’

Sometimes, just trying to do the right thing can be stressful! Have you ever been in a spiritual place in your life where your only goal was to please God and fulfill His purpose for your life? Doesn’t it seem like everything stands in your way or blocks your path to getting where you want to go? You just want God to stop the madness and just let you do what you want to do. It can be so frustrating!

Then, you see a clear path to get you where you want to go. You take the path only to realize it’s under construction- something has to be fixed or repaired in order for you to use the path to get where you want to go. Your credit score has to be fixed, your GPA has to be repaired or something else has to happen before you can take the path! Now, you’re irritated!

I’ve learned in times like these to Stop! Drop! And Roll! I stop what I’m doing, I drop to my knees and I roll my cares, concerns, irritations and frustrations onto Jesus.

I stop what I’m doing because obviously God wants me to do something else or, I’m working in my own strength and leaning on my own understanding and not allowing God, through the Holy Spirit, to direct my path (Proverbs 3:3 – 5).

I drop to my knees, maybe not physically but spiritually, because I need to humble myself under God so he can guide me and teach me His ways (Psalm 25:9).

I roll my cares; financial, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual cares onto Jesus because He cares about everything that concerns me (I Peter 5:6 – 7).

So, if you’re in a place where you need something fixed, repaired and reconstructed I suggest you stop stressing and stop what you’re doing, drop to your knees and pray, and while you’re in prayer, roll the issues, circumstances or situations off your shoulders and onto Jesus’ shoulders. He carried the cross for us; surely He can care this too.

Looking Forward – Moving Forward

Posted on June 5, 2015 by espirational1

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” I Peter 1:13

I am down two dress sizes since January of this year! To say the least, I am very proud of myself for this accomplishment. I have worked hard to get to this point but still have a ways to go before I reach my ultimate goal. But every day is another day to press forward towards my goal.

I love to shop! Window shopping, on-line shopping or actually buying while I shop, makes no difference what type of shopping I’m going just as long as I can look at, touch or try on things that make me feel pretty, I’m happy.

The other day I was on my of my favorite discount site. They have everything!!! They have clothes, shoes, baby and toddler clothing, workout apparel, furniture and kitchen gadgets. The site is well done and easy to follow. Did I say I LOVE this site!!!

Well, while I was looking at some dresses in my current size I realized I’d waste my money if I purchased them because my goal is to lose weight and inches not stay at the size I am now.

Then, I got a revelation: I am losing weight and inches, why am I still looking at clothes that I’m working to leave behind rather than looking at clothes that I’m working to get into?! Well now, that got me thinking.

Many of us are pressing to become more like Christ. We are working diligently to live up to and into our purpose, and yet, we are still looking at our old stuff that will not work when we get to the new places we’re working to get to. Our old way to thinking, our old way of viewing adversity, our old way of spending money; none of them will bring us to the place we want to be in the future. We have to stop looking at what worked in the past and start looking at what we need as we move forward into our destiny.

Let’s be forward looking and forward thinking. If God is leading us into a new place, a new way of living, let’s do some research. You may be a choir member now, but if your goal is to be the COO or administrator of your church, do some research on what that looks like: what are the duties and responsibilities of that position? Does your pastor see a need for such a position? What type of salary can you expect?

You may be the employee of a company or in government service right now but, if your goal is to launch a new business venture you need to do some research. What legal pieces do you need to have in place to guard your idea? Do you need a trademark? How about a logo or a slogan? Do you need an internet media presence? How much money is it going to cost? Yes, it’s going to cost you money but, if you stop spending money on the old stuff, you’ll have money for the new things you need.

If we really want to move forward into what we’ve been purposed by God to become, we need to stop looking at where we are and start looking at where we’re going.

Press forward and you’ll move forward!

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

Fighting to Become the Me I was Meant to Be

Posted on June 2, 2015 by espirational1

II Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”

Jesus’ disciple Peter was a trained to be a fisherman. Historically speaking, he had been in fisherman training with his father since he was very young. He would have learned all the tricks of the trade.

From Matthew to John and even in the letter to the churches, we also find that in addition to being trained in the art of fishing, Peter was capable of leading others to Christ; he was bold, loud, zealous, but, he was also fearful. If the way got tough, Peter would turn his back on his friends, go into hiding or become a man-pleaser. Peter didn’t always exemplify Christ-like qualities.

Peter sometimes had a hard time fulfilling his Christ-life work of fishing for men, rather than fishing for fish (John 21). He could be quick tempered and sometimey. In the Garden of Gethsemane Peter cut off a soldier’s ear when he came for Jesus, yet within a few hours, Peter was denying he knew Jesus. I’d call that sometimey!

In the Garden of Gethsemane, when things didn’t go the way Peter thought they should, he went back to what he had been before Christ; a frightened man-pleaser. Rather than standing up for what he knew was right, he reverted to his old self in order to fit in and get along. Sound familiar?

If we haven’t resolved to be what Christ has called us to be regardless of the cost, at one point or another in our lives, when it’s convenient and comfortable, we all go back to what we were before Christ. Some of us go back to gossiping about others because it makes us feel better about our own situations. Some of us go back to being afraid of what others will think if we do what the Holy Spirit urges us to do. Some of us become men-pleasers because we want people to “like us”. Some of us we go back to the sin from which Christ delivered us.

Whatever we go back to, just know that God does not allow for folly, foolishness or sin in the name of our “previous training”. Once we come to Christ, we are new creatures. We’ve joined a new army and our based training begins; Jesus is our Commander and Chief and the Holy Spirit is our Drill Sergeant. We get a new training manual, which is the Word of God. We must allow old things to pass away, so that the new training we are now undertaking can renew our minds.

Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Living Above Mediocrity,

Anita Wamble

E-spirational – Divine Inspirations

Sharing God’s Word: Motivating God’s People

http://www.espirational1.com

Coming Out of Someone Else’s Normal, Into My Destiny – II

Posted on June 1, 2015 by espirational1

Romans 8:29 – 30

“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified he also glorified.”

No one wants to get to the end of their live and consider themselves a failure. In fact, most people don’t want to fail at anything they endeavor to do. But, do we feel the same way about fulfilling our God-given purpose? Are we willing to fail at what God has predestined us to do in order to fit into someone else’s box? Are we willing to forego our calling so we can be liked? Are we willing to neglect our predestination in order to get along with others? Are we willing to fail God so others can feel good about us?

In every family everyone has a role. Some of us are the “go to” person. You know, the one everyone calls when things are falling apart. The one everyone expects to have all the answers and take care of everything even when it’s not their responsibility. Then you have the “baby” of the family. Not that they are a baby or the youngest in the family, they just act like a helpless, hapless baby. They expect to be taken care of by everyone else because that’s their role. And of course, you have the irresponsible one. We all have them in our families, they are the ones that no one can count on for anything, and usually, they are the lazy one that does nothing but expects a share of, or a free ride to, everything that goes on in the family.

But what if your family role was not the role God has appointed for you? Are you willing to give up the role your family expects you to play in order to fulfill your God given appointment?

Sometimes, we are called out of our current situation and into our destiny like David, but other times, we’ve got to walk into our destiny in spite of what others may think or say. We’ve got to know that if God called us to our destiny, He’s made the way for us to fulfill our call and, our gifts will make room for us.

Are you struggling with knowing you’re more than others give you credit for? Or, are you fighting within yourself to move past your fears and reach for the unknown because you know that God has ordained greater for you?

If you answered to either of these questions is “yes” then you have a bigger question to answer; Are you willing to be a failure in God’s plan for you, rather than being the success He’s already ordained you to be?

The biblical meaning of success is summed up in Acts 20:24 “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

Not succeeding at our God-given task means hundreds, possibility thousands or event millions of lives will not affected by the eternity plan that is in you.

To fail or to succeed, the decision is yours.

	Jonathan Caswell on God’s Promise for Today
	John Bryant on Prayer for Today
	Sarah Burton on Weeds or Roses
	Evanston Psychologis… on Prayer for Today
	Diane on GPS Too

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Monthly Archives: June 2015